1st Falcon Swoop (Clan Jade Falcon)

Insignia of Gamma Galaxy (Clan Jade Falcon)
First Falcon Swoop Cluster
Affiliation Clan Jade Falcon
Parent Command Gamma Galaxy

Unit Description

The First Falcon Swoop Cluster was a military formation in the Clan Jade Falcon touman. Although technically a front-line unit, it was largely composed of Freebirth soldiers.

History

Falcon Incursion of 3064

The First Falcon Swoop first appeared during Khan Marthe Pryde's Falcon Incursion. Planned with the goal of explanding their holdings while the Lyran Alliance was busy fighting the FedCom Civil War, the invasion saw the Falcons attack over two dozen worlds.

From the launching point world of Goat Path,[1] the First Swoop were part of a Jade Falcon taskforce commanded by Galaxy Commander Timur Malthus that struck the world of Blue Hole in May 3064. Making the journey alongside the Turkina Eyrie Cluster and Malthus' own Sigma Galaxy Command, the Jade Falcons came upon a world already engulfed in heavy fighting. The allied 8th Deneb Light Cavalry, already understrength from fighting on Kikuyu, was fighting a mobile campaign against the loyalist 3rd Alliance Guards and the mercenary Storm's Metal Thunder. The First Swoop concentrated their efforts on Storm's Metal Thunder, who refused aid from the Eighth Deneb and took heavy losses at the hands of the Falcons. After the Third Alliance Guards were forced off-world, Metal Thunder managed to hold on long enough for a surviving battalion of the 6th Donegal Guards to arrive. The Sixth Donegal was not enough to turn the tide, however, and in mid-June the Falcons were reinforced by the 7th Talon Cluster. Storm's Metal Thunder was finally forced to withdraw, having been reduced to a mere two 'mechs. The Sixth Donegal was completely wiped out. [2] Overall damage to the First Swoop on Goat Path was light. [1]

On July, the First Swoop was rotated to Chahar where, along with four other Clusters and Khan Pryde herself, they inflicted massive damage on the Chahar MTM, which was forced to retreat. [2] [1]

In August, the First Swoop took part in the largest single battle of the conflict when they were part of the Jade Falcon taskforce that struck at Melissia. Melissia was a Theater capital and headquarters of General Sharon Bryan, and had been heavily reinforced by commands damaged earlier in the fighting, either against the Falcons or the Allied forces. The defenders included the Third Alliance Guards, the Storm's Metal Thunder, the Sixth Donegal Guards, the 14th Donegal Guards RCT, the 9th Lyran Regulars, the 15th Arcturan Guards and elements of the Neerabup MTM and Gacrux FTM. Khan Marthe Pryde knew she would face a serious challenge, so she led a full seven Clusters into the battle. The Falcons had a field day against the Lyran defenders, who were employing a very static, fortified defense under the orders by General Bryan. Once the Falcons destroyed the Lyran command center and killed Bryan, General Adam Steiner organized a withdrawal to Chapultepec. [3] Losses to the First Swoop were moderate. [1]

In early September, the First Swoop was part of Khan Pryde's taskforce that attacked Machida. Realizing that General Steiner's forces had traveled to Chapultepec, the First Swoop and most of the clusters returned to Melissia. [3] [1]

In October, the First Swoop accompanied Khan Pryde and her elite Turkina Keshik as they assaulted Zhongshan. There they faced the remains of the Chahar MTM, which was again forced to retreat with heavy losses. [4] Once again, losses to the First Swoop were moderate. [1]

In November, the First Swoop struck Adelaide. Facing only the planetary militia, they successfully conquered the world within a few days, taking moderate damage. They remained on Adelaide as a garrison force when the Blair Atholl Agreement effectively ended the conflict. [5] [1]

In March 3065, General Adam Steiner deployed the 15th Lyran Regulars to retake Adelaide from the Falcons. In two months of fighting, the Lyrans slowly ground down the First Swoop, pushing them off-world by May 29th. [5] [6] Their losses were so heavy that they were effectively destroyed as a cohesive fighting force. [1]

Jihad

By late 3067, the First Swoop was based on Wotan and had rebuilt to 85 percent strength. Although half of their 'Mechs were Clan OmniMechs, their losses forced them to employ Star League-era technology comparable to that currently being employed by the Inner Sphere. A quarter of their total force used this equipment. The unit was still rated with a Green experience level. [7]

By the end of the Jihad in 3079 the First Falcon Swoop Cluster was located on Koniz and had been reduced to just 35% of full strength. Still considered a reliable but green unit at this point, three quarters of the machines used by the First were OmniMechs.[8]

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 1st Falcon Swoop
Star Colonel David 3067[7]
Star Colonel Shawn 3145[9]

Tactics

Unknown.

Composition History

3067

First Falcon Swoop Cluster (Green/Reliable)[7]

CO: Star Colonel David
Note: At this point, in time the unit was stationed on Wotan with an operational readiness of 85 percent.[10]

Unit Insignia


Notes

  • The exact date of the formation of the First Falcon Swoop is unclear, as it has not been published.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 FedCom Civil War (sourcebook) p. 185
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 FedCom Civil War (sourcebook) p. 114
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 FedCom Civil War (sourcebook) p. 116
  4. ↑ FedCom Civil War (sourcebook) p. 117
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 FedCom Civil War (sourcebook) p. 112
  6. ↑ Field Manual: Updates p. 171
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Field Manual: Updates p. 72
  8. ↑ Field Report: Clans", p. 15, "Deployment Status"
  9. ↑ Field Manual: 3145, p. 169
  10. ↑ Field Manual: Updates, pp. 72–73

Bibliography

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